I bike therefore, I am!

Bike to Work Day 2017 & Biking Challenge

May 19, 2017 was the DC/VA/MD Bike to Work Day. A few weeks ago, I said I would blog about two events in which I planned to participate.

One is the fund-raiser for the month of June to raise money for children with cancer.

The other was the DC Bike to Work Day event. I work only two miles, (albeit up hill), from my apartment. I can and have biked to my office, but I had never participated in a Bike to Work event.

Now, I had been sick off and on for a couple of weeks. I am having problems with my gallbladder. I have gallstones and I’m scheduled for surgery, well, tomorrow, in fact. My co-workers know how much I love to bike. They also knew that I wanted to participate in the Bike to Work Day event.

I woke up. I felt like crap. I was nauseated and tired. And my stomach was sore, as it had been for the past couple of weeks.

Nonetheless, I put on my biking gear, packed a change of clothes, and biked to work.

The effort was rewarded by a resounding cheer from my co-workers when I dragged my bike into the office behind me. They were all so proud because they knew that participating was important to me and I did not let my gallbladder problems keep me from doing it.

I felt great!

I stopped at one of the pit stops on my way home and was further rewarded with a purple t-shirt, which to me was the coolest as purple is my favorite color. That crazy girl from Steel Magnolias was so proud of announcing pink was her signature color. Well, purple is mine. So, to get a purple t-shirt for doing something I loved? Awesome-sauce!

I also got a beer glass with purple lettering on it. That is now my favorite glass.

Now for my surgery and the fundraiser…

I’m not sure what all I am going to do about that. Of course, I want to stick to my plan of biking 5 days a week, 10 miles a day for 30 days. Obviously, that cannot happen considering I’m having surgery the day before the bike challenge begins.

I think for the first week at least, I am going to have to change my bike miles to walking miles. Then the second week, I will probably to graduate to the recumbent bike in my apartment’s exercise room. I may be able to get on the bike outside before the month ends, but I do not know yet. I am hoping at least. Not sure if I’ll make my 200 mile goal, but I think if I make the effort and get as close as possible, I’ll be happy.